Some see Elvis as a racist, others as a messiah. Gourmandistan saw Elvis as cake.

Our story begins like so many in Gourmandistan, with a bit of food about to go off. In this case, it was bananas, which Michelle (as she often does) starting thinking about making into a cake, and asked Steve what kind of icing he might like. Steve’s brain got “All Shook Up” and asked for both chocolate and peanut butter frosting. Chocolate Elvis Cake was born.

Michelle, of course, worked out the logistics of frosting and filling, dolling it up with delicious peanut brittle in a showy way Vegas Elvis would have loved.

Chocolate, banana and peanut butter go together like “Dixie,” “All My Trials” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic” (at least if you’re Elvis) and this cake now reigns over all in Gourmandistan. Elvis may have left the building, but his truth (at least the banana and peanut butter part) keeps marching on—now covered in chocolate.

Add boiling water, 1 tablespoon at a time, while mixer is running. Continue beating for a couple of minutes until frosting is “smooth, pliable, but still very thick.”

Let cool for a minute or so before frosting cake.

SALTY PEANUT BRITTLE:

1 c. granulated sugar

1 c. salted, dry roasted peanuts

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Spread sugar in a dry stainless steel skillet. Set skillet over medium-high heat. DO NOT STIR. When sugar begins to melt around the outside of the skillet, turn down heat to medium-low. Shake pan to redistribute sugar and avoid burning.

When sugar has mostly melted and is starting to color, mix very gently with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon.

As soon as sugar mixture has turned dark amber, remove contents of pan onto the foil, spreading as thinly as possible.

While caramel is still warm, slide foil and its contents into a plastic freezer bag and seal. When ready to use, break or chop as desired.

ASSEMBLY:

Brittle can be made a day or so ahead of time and stored in a plastic bag at room temperature as noted above.

The cake can be made a day ahead. Wrap layers in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate until needed.

This frosting is somewhat fiddly. After icing the cake, if the frosting is a little too thick, or if it looks a little grainy, heat a frosting knife with hot water and run it over the sides and top of the cake (reheating knife as needed).

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58 comments

This is even the cake of my dreams! I love all those combinations of sweet, (banana) with salty (PB) and that chocolate frosting! Heavenly! If the King were still alive, i dare say he’d give up those Deep fried sanbo’s in favour of this!

This is a king I could worship! I love anything banana and wholeheartedly encourage the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. The salty peanut brittle is what’s taking me over the edge though — I need that in my life.

Such a beautiful cake, Michelle. Such perfect layers, the flavorful frostings, and such a great garnish of nuts all make this cake so special. Frankly, I’m in awe. I’m also a little unnerved. The TV is on in the background and, very coincidentally, Burns’ “The Civil War” is being rebroadcast. As I read your sentence that included “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” guess what was being played? I was already staring at the Elvis Lives photo when I realized what was happening and went back to reread that sentence. How did you do that? 🙂

Thanks, Conor! I could hardly believe my good fortune when I remembered I’d been on a business trip to Memphis a couple of years ago and still had some Elvis/Graceland photos on my phone. (I refused to pay the $$ to get into the silly place.)

I didn’t say I HATED cake, just that I wasn’t in love with it–so it’s rarely been a temptation for me (in a life that is rife with temptation). There are some desserts that beg to be eaten after a meal, no matter how full you are (e.g. coconut panna cotta with chili mangoes and avocado ice cream). Cake has just never been a temptation for me. Until now… I shudder to think of what would happen if I were left alone with that one. Ken

If you had told me a few years ago that I’d be using the dreaded emoticons, I’d have probably spat at you. To this day, I swear I have never (before now) typed LOL, for example. But there does seem to be some utility in saying with a silly little face: I’m kidding. Or at least I might be kidding… (It is a strange world in which we find ourselves.)